Nash Motor Cars 1903-1979

A Pictorial Glimpse of Nash Motor Cars Through the Years

Nash Motors, based in Kenosha, Wisconsin produced vehicles from 1916 to 1938. From 1938 to 1954, Nash became the automotive division of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation. From 1954 to 1957, Nash production continued until after the creation of American Motors Corporation. Nash pioneered unibody construction in 1941, also a heating and ventilation system whose operating principles are now universally utilized in 1938, seat belts in 1950, compact cars in 1950, subcompact in 1970 and muscle cars in 1957.

Video - 1950 Nash Ambassador Custom - Jay Leno's Garage

Nash Motors was established in 1916 by previous General Motors president Charles W. Nash who obtained the
Thomas B. Jeffery Company. Jeffery's best-known vehicle was the Rambler whose large scale manufacturing from a plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin started in 1902.

The 1917 Nash Model 671 was the first vehicle delivered with the Nash name. Nash enjoyed many years of achievement by centering its endeavors to construct autos encapsulating honest worth at a value which held out potential outcomes of a wide market.

The four-wheel drive Jeffery Quad truck was an imperative item for Nash. Roughly 11,500 Quads were manufactured from 1913 and 1919. They moved materials under extreme conditions during World War I. The Quad utilized Meuhl differentials with half-shafts mounted over the load bearing dead axles to drive the hubs using hub reduction gearing. It also featured four-wheel steering. The Quad acquired a reputation of being the best four-wheel drive truck in the country. Nash Motors turned out to be the largest four-wheel drive manufacturer in the country. By 1918, Nash iwas s busy that the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company was licensed to assemble the Nash Quad. By the end of World War I, Nash was the leading military trucks producer. After the war was over, surplus Quads were utilized as heavy duty work trucks construction and logging.

Charles Nash persuaded the chief engineer of GM's Oakland Division, Nils Eric Wahlberg, to come over to the new Nash company. In 1917, Wahlberg introduced the first nash engine with overhead valves. Wahlberg is credited with helping design Nash's flow-through ventilation system that is utilized today in just about every vehicle. Presented in 1938, Nash's Weather Eye brought fresh air from outside into the auto's ventilation system, boosted by a fan, where it was warmed (or cooled), and after that expelled through rear vents. The procedure additionally decreased humidity and even equalize slight differential in pressure between the exterior and interior of a moving vehicle. Another Nash unique feature was the unequal wheel tread. The front wheels were a little narrower than the back, in this manner adding stability and enhancing cornering. Wahlberg was additionally an early advocate of wind tunnel testing for vehicles and amid World War II worked with Theodore Ulrich in the designing of Nash's Airflyte models.

Early Rambler 1897-1914

1902 Rambler

Mitchell Motor Car Company and the Ajax - 1903-1926

1918 Mitchell

LaFayette - 1920-1937

1922 Lafayette

Nash Kelvinator - 1937-1954

1931 Nash Convertible Sedan

1935 Nash 400 Sedan

1938 Nash Ambassador 4 Door Sedan

1940 Nash 2 Door Sedan

1948 Nash Convertible

Nash Airflyte - 1949

The 1949 aerodynamic
Nash Airflyte was the first advanced design the company after World War II. Its aerodynamic body was developed using a wind tunnel. Nils Wahlberg's hypotheses on diminishing a vehicle's drag coefficient brought about a smooth shape and enclosed front fenders. The advanced aerodynamics became the most "alarming" all-new automobile design after the war since the Chrysler Airflow.

A curved one-piece windshield of safety glass was used on the wide and low vehicles and the car offered more interior space than its 1948 ancestor in spite of the fact was 6 inches
lower. The enclosed front fenders gave the cars a wider turning range than most other autos. The 600 models utilized a 112-inch wheelbase while the Ambassador models were extended to 121 inches. Both bodies were the same. Curl springs were utilized on every one of the four wheels. Both models offered three trim lines; Super, Super Special, and top of the line Custom. The 600 was powered by a 82-horsepower, 176-cubic-inch flathead inline 6 cylinder while the Ambassador had a 112 HP OHV, 234-cubic-inch inline 6.

Changes for the 1950 Airflytes were a larger back window, hidden fuel filler cap, some dashboard components and on the Ambassadors an optional GM Hydramatic automatic transmission. The 600 models were renamed as the "Statesman". Another first were seat belts, additionally were new five-position Airliner reclining front seats, discretionary in both models. The Statesman engine stroke was expanded 1/4 inch, delivering 186 cubic inches and 85 hp, and the Ambassador got a new cylinder head that expanded the horsepower to 115.

1951 model Airflytes changes were made to the rear fenders, stretched to accept vertical taillights, a new conventional dashboard in place of the Uniscope mounted on the steering column, addition of another vertical bar grille with horizontal parking lights and the Statesman also had the of GM Hydramatic option. The three best
sales years up to that time were 1949, through 1951.

1950 Nash Ambassador

1950 Nash Ambassador

1951 Nash Ambassador

1952 Nash Ambassador

1954 Nash Statesman

1956 Nash Ambassador

Nash Rambler - 1950-1969

The Nash Rambler was manufactured by the Nash Motors division of Nash-Kelvinator from 1950 to 1954. Nash merged with Hudson on May 1, 1954 forming American Motors Corporation (AMC). Through 1955, the Nash Rambler was then produced by AMC in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The Nash Rambler created a new vehicle segment and is generally recognized as be the main effective American compact car.
The 1950-1955 Nash Rambler was the model run for this vehicle platform. Utilizing the same tooling, AMC reintroduced a practically indistinguishable "new" 1958 Rambler American for a second run. This was an uncommon feat of having two distinct and fruitful model runs, a practically unfathomable phenomenon in vehicle history.

1951 Nash Rambler

1952 Nash Rambler

1953 Nash Rambler

1954 Nash Rambler Cross Country

1958 Nash Rambler

Nash Metropolitan - 1953-1961

The Nash Metropolitan was sold from 1953 to 1961. It fits in with two vehicle classes: economy vehicle and subcompact vehicle. The Metropolitan was sold as a Hudson after Nash and Hudson merger in 1954 as an American Motors Corporation (AMC) vehicle, and later as a standalone brand during the Rambler years, and also sold in the United Kingdom and different markets.

1953 Nash Metropolitan

1954 Nash Metropolitan

1955 Nash Metropolitan

Nash Healy - 1951-1954

The Nash-Healey a two-seat sports car was sold by Nash using the Nash Ambassador drivetrain and European chassis and body, it served as a flagship vehicle, to promote other Nash model sales. It was first post-war sports car" in America and the first promoted by a major U.S. automaker since Great Depression. The Nash-Healey was the result of the partnership between Nash and British automaker Donald Healey. The auto was later redesigned by Pinin Farina and subassembly was in Italy.

1951 Nash Healey Roadster

1952 Nash Healey

1953 Nash Healey

1954 Nash Healey LeMans Coupe

American Motors - 1954-1979

American Motors Corporation (AMC) was created by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson in 1954. At the time, it was the biggest corporate merger in U.S. history.